Report: Trump considering Sarah Palin to lead an agency he often criticized on the campaign trail

Sarah Palin speaks prior to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's arrival to speak during the opening session of the Western Conservative Summit on July 1 in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

According to a report from ABC News, President-elect Donald Trump is considering tapping former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) to be his secretary for veterans affairs.

Trump was extremely critical of the VA on the campaign trail, calling the recent scandals in which patients died waiting for treatment at VA hospitals a "disgrace" and promising to make reforming the agency a priority for his administration. He also held a number of high profile fundraisers for veterans on the campaign trail, including a joint rally and fundraiser for veterans on the same night of the final pre-Iowa Republican caucuses debate, which Trump opted to skip when Fox News refused to remove Megyn Kelly as debate moderator.

After Trump won the nomination, he released a 10-point plan to reform the VA and repeatedly promised that taking care of veterans would be a top priority for his administration.

Palin was one of Trump's earliest supporters and surrogates and frequently appeared on the trail with him in the early days of the campaign. But after a series of rocky appearances, including one in which she made derogatory remarks about popular Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa), she appeared less and less frequently with or on behalf of Trump and virtually disappeared during the general election phase of the campaign. However, Trump's willingness to consider her for a post that he made a top campaign priority signals that Trump has faith in Palin to turn around a troubled agency that has been a lightning rod for controversy for years.